Post by mikesnyder on Aug 23, 2023 17:58:56 GMT
I said that after I spoke with the City Manager, that I would post my items that I would like a conversation on with regards to adjusting. They are:
I would remove the additional library positions (ok with funding money for a volunteer program). The library program gets high marks from citizens. Could it be better? Yes. Are there things that are more needed? In my opinion, yes.
I would remove the community outreach positions. In my opinion, hiring people to go out and fundraise directly competes with our non-profits and chamber of commerce.
I would remove the business retention specialist. I don't understand why a position is needed like this. With what the city is looking for, the Chamber could fulfill those requirements. Since we met with the chamber, the scope of work has changed and now is going outside of what the Chamber can do. To me, we are working to expand government for the sake of expanding. Just finding a way to increase FTEs. We should use this money for roads, sidewalks and trails (Top 3 items the public wanted fixed).
I would remove the Asst. Emergency Management FTE, the truck, the trailer and the shower install at City Hall. We made a lot of progress getting our EM person, but we are quickly finding ways to spend money on something that many cities our size do not have. Let alone adding in a bunch of equipment, and a shower.
I would remove the street sweeper and FTE associated with it. I feel that we need to focus on street maintenance (filling in potholes and sealant). Little early to spend $100k on a street sweeper.
I would remove one of the CIP project inspectors. We are hiring up for things this year that will not be needed for over a year. I would keep one person as proposed.
I would remove the Executive team resort retreats from quarterly to once per year (trying hard to understand how this is a taxpayer benefit)
Pending passage of the $5/month maintenance fee, I would adjust the budget to remove money from it that this fee would bring in. My intention by supporting this fee is that this money would be restricted and would be forced to be spent on roads whereas just using property tax money and "hoping" that City Council earmarks money for roads doesn't work. It tends to get spent on meals, entertainment and additional employees.
I would ensure that the Police department receives raises that puts them closer to the top 1/4 percentile of the market. As I have explained to the Chief and City Manager, Cops are expected to be perfect. And risk their lives doing it. They should be compensated to NEVER make a mistake and always be willing to take a bullet to save a citizen.
I would look at adding cameras to ALL of City Hall and ALL of the offices. Hutto PD works with a camera rolling every day when they do their job. They make one remark and can be punished for it. But, the rest of city staff, maybe not so? Kind of in jest, but we need to appreciate what it is like when we hire admins that make more than cops. You have to pay a premium to do a job like that. As an executive once told me, "money won't help them, they love their job" When I asked the executive what would happen if his pay was cut in half, would he still love his job as much. He then just looked at me.
With the continued push for executives to have the ability to work from home, I'd like to offer a 2% raise to all employees. BUT, add in an additional 3% "bonus" pay. For those that work at City Hall, and NOT at home, they can qualify for a 3% "working in the public" pay add on.
I would scrap any money being looked at for a UDC rewrite. This is just spending $100,000s of thousand of $$ to get a consultant to tell us what we want. I think first, we should figure out what is working and what isn't, what would would like and wouldn't and then go from there. Hutto has a tendency to keep hiring consultants to do studies. We spent over $500k last year on them. These studies do NOT get roads built, sidewalks built and/or trails built.
This is just a start. Looking forward to hearing other people's ideas. I'm sure that by posting this, many on Council will be able to work ALL week on why I'm wrong and not on what they would do. We should be working together to provide the highest level of service at the lowest price. Work to reduce the tax burden and limit government to doing the essential services. We should stop competing with our non-profits and for profit businesses. Less taxes and regulation will allow a more vibrant Hutto.
I would remove the additional library positions (ok with funding money for a volunteer program). The library program gets high marks from citizens. Could it be better? Yes. Are there things that are more needed? In my opinion, yes.
I would remove the community outreach positions. In my opinion, hiring people to go out and fundraise directly competes with our non-profits and chamber of commerce.
I would remove the business retention specialist. I don't understand why a position is needed like this. With what the city is looking for, the Chamber could fulfill those requirements. Since we met with the chamber, the scope of work has changed and now is going outside of what the Chamber can do. To me, we are working to expand government for the sake of expanding. Just finding a way to increase FTEs. We should use this money for roads, sidewalks and trails (Top 3 items the public wanted fixed).
I would remove the Asst. Emergency Management FTE, the truck, the trailer and the shower install at City Hall. We made a lot of progress getting our EM person, but we are quickly finding ways to spend money on something that many cities our size do not have. Let alone adding in a bunch of equipment, and a shower.
I would remove the street sweeper and FTE associated with it. I feel that we need to focus on street maintenance (filling in potholes and sealant). Little early to spend $100k on a street sweeper.
I would remove one of the CIP project inspectors. We are hiring up for things this year that will not be needed for over a year. I would keep one person as proposed.
I would remove the Executive team resort retreats from quarterly to once per year (trying hard to understand how this is a taxpayer benefit)
Pending passage of the $5/month maintenance fee, I would adjust the budget to remove money from it that this fee would bring in. My intention by supporting this fee is that this money would be restricted and would be forced to be spent on roads whereas just using property tax money and "hoping" that City Council earmarks money for roads doesn't work. It tends to get spent on meals, entertainment and additional employees.
I would ensure that the Police department receives raises that puts them closer to the top 1/4 percentile of the market. As I have explained to the Chief and City Manager, Cops are expected to be perfect. And risk their lives doing it. They should be compensated to NEVER make a mistake and always be willing to take a bullet to save a citizen.
I would look at adding cameras to ALL of City Hall and ALL of the offices. Hutto PD works with a camera rolling every day when they do their job. They make one remark and can be punished for it. But, the rest of city staff, maybe not so? Kind of in jest, but we need to appreciate what it is like when we hire admins that make more than cops. You have to pay a premium to do a job like that. As an executive once told me, "money won't help them, they love their job" When I asked the executive what would happen if his pay was cut in half, would he still love his job as much. He then just looked at me.
With the continued push for executives to have the ability to work from home, I'd like to offer a 2% raise to all employees. BUT, add in an additional 3% "bonus" pay. For those that work at City Hall, and NOT at home, they can qualify for a 3% "working in the public" pay add on.
I would scrap any money being looked at for a UDC rewrite. This is just spending $100,000s of thousand of $$ to get a consultant to tell us what we want. I think first, we should figure out what is working and what isn't, what would would like and wouldn't and then go from there. Hutto has a tendency to keep hiring consultants to do studies. We spent over $500k last year on them. These studies do NOT get roads built, sidewalks built and/or trails built.
This is just a start. Looking forward to hearing other people's ideas. I'm sure that by posting this, many on Council will be able to work ALL week on why I'm wrong and not on what they would do. We should be working together to provide the highest level of service at the lowest price. Work to reduce the tax burden and limit government to doing the essential services. We should stop competing with our non-profits and for profit businesses. Less taxes and regulation will allow a more vibrant Hutto.